Wednesday, December 8, 2010

I have a lot of thoughts and opinions pent up inside of late.

It seems like this grace stuff has messed me up. I'm not sure where I stand on the whole "identity" issue... I never really cared much for the identity thing, honestly.

If I renounce my faith in Christ, then I'm not saved. I hear a lot of people in this identity movement saying it doesn't matter if you deny him or not, you still have the identity as a child of God-- bull shit. The requirement for salvation is to persevere in the faith. It's not a one-time deal, It's an ongoing process. "The one who endures to the end will be saved."

And this whole self-righteous attitude of the identity crowd toward the legalistic crowd (ironic, isn't it?) is extremely irritating to me. I daresay a legalist is saved, though he doesn't fully understand God's once-for-all forgiveness.

But as far as a universalist, or someone who abandons all sound doctrine because he believes grace covers him... that person is out of their mind. Paul never says that a person has the freedom to believe heresy. Never. That person is free from the demands of the law, but he or she is not free to believe another gospel or whatever the hell they decide to conjure up with their own imagination.

I don't mind atheists or agnostics or pagans who spout bull shit. I can befriend them and enjoy their company even though they poke fun at my beliefs; I expect it from them-- but not from believers who know the Scriptures.

Grace does NOT give you the freedom to embrace heresy and still maintain your 'identity'. No where is that in the Scripture. God requires obedience, and that of faith. I'm laying no burden on anyone here. I'm simply entreating them to come under God's kindness through trust in Jesus Christ alone. I'm not spreading hate or disunity. Disunity is spread by those who willingly preach lies. Am I a someone who causes disunity because I speak the truth?

I've had enough. I think I'd rather go back to hanging out with the "legalistic" crowd.